Online Communities - A marketers wildest dream and worse nightmare!Written by Ralph Ritoch
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There is a fine line between "Advertising" and "Corporate news". This line is so small that any marketer in a forum is constantly on edge of a public relations nightmare. The danger is that these discussions don't go away quickly. They are often archived, staying on net for years and getting thousands of visitors. This permanent scar can seriously limit a marketers ability to spread important information with others in various industries. eSpirit Communications deals with this problem by providing a classifieds section of community for pure advertisements. At www.eSpiritCommunications.Com it is up to marketer to decide if information they're posting is an advertisement or news. A marketers "Dream" is to reach their target audience. Forums have been attracting visitors for years, but these new communities offer a little bit more. They tend to be part of a larger service, have a more general "theme", and more features. eSpirit Communications is a communications and web development company which implemented an online community for businesses, advertisers, and average consumer. The community has a wide range of topics covering many industries and a fast growing member base. Unlike search engine ranking which can take months to produce web site traffic, these quality posts generate traffic within hours and in some cases, seconds. This is "Marketers dream", an instant targeted audience for their marketing messages. This makes online communities an important marketing and information resource. eSpirit Communications is revolutionizing online communities. As more people use their online community amount of quality information is increasing. The consistent growth in number of members in community shows that information and advertisements can stand side-by-side without driving away visitors. As more online communities revise their terms of service to allow advertisements these communities should become much more valuable resources to both businesses and consumers.
CONTACT INFO: eSpirit Communications Ralph Ritoch 564 Crane St. Schenectady, NY 12303 U.S.A. Phone: 518-374-8251 support@espiritcommunications.com http://www.espiritcommunications.com
| | Marketing Your Shows the 4 C's WayWritten by Susan Freidmann
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Experimentation is name of game. Each year you need to introduce new ideas and concepts into your show organization and production. Change doesn't have to be drastic; small subtitles can make difference, especially when you implement ideas supplied courtesy of your exhibitors and attendees. Make sure that you communicate these changes and let your customers know that you're listening to their suggestions. Convenience How easy is it to do business with you? Are your systems user-friendly? Consider every piece from exhibitor manuals to registration desks at show. What can be done to make participating in your shows a hassle-free experience? Consult your vendors, staff, exhibitor advisory committee, outside consultants, and even children for ideas and suggestions. Then try them out yourself. Again, model concepts that work. Ask yourself how favorite companies might solve your particular challenge. Use Internet to simplify form completion and registration procedures. Offer discounts for using technology. Challenge yourself to constantly make process more convenient. Communication Bernd Schmitt, author of Experiential Marketing, once noted, "Today's customers take functional features and benefits, product quality, and a positive brand image as a given. They want products, communications, and marketing campaigns that dazzle their senses, touch their hearts, and stimulate their minds. The degree to which a company is able to deliver a desirable customer experience -- and to use information technology, brands, and integrated communications and entertainment to do so -- will largely determine its success in global marketplace of new millennium." You want to stimulate such excitement among your exhibitors and attendees that your show is an experience not to be missed. Experiential marketing is latest trend in marketing that focuses on experiences of customers. In addition to dazzling your exhibitors and attendees with your show promotion, realize too that they hunger for two-way communication. They want to know that you care, that you are interested in them and their goals. Either way, key is two-way communication, them hearing you and you listening to them. Customer value, change, convenience, and communication all make up essence of a powerful 4 Cs marketing approach that will help take your show and organization to another level.
Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.
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